


Letters From the Sky

by anniesdisneyeyes



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-5x22
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-10 07:06:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2015670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anniesdisneyeyes/pseuds/anniesdisneyeyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a few months after the other side collapsed in on itself. Refusing to accept the possibility that Damon and Bonnie have disappeared from the world entirely, Elena secretly searches for answers. Stefan finds his sanity deteriorating in a way he didn't expect. Jeremy has closed himself off from everyone. Alaric and Caroline, while dealing with their own grief, struggle to keep everyone together. Meanwhile, Damon and Bonnie attempt to make sense of where they've ended up and hang on to the possibility of returning home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Promises You Can't Keep

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is the first multi-chapter fic I am writing for TVD. I want to thank my lovely friend, Florencia7, for reading through this and giving me her thoughts and corrections. You are a star! Also, the title of this is taken from a Civil Twilight song by the same name. Everyone should listen to it, it is really beautiful and fits the story well.

 

Bonnie joyfully watched as the little girl toddle over the soft grass, her wobbly legs struggling to keep herself up. She could feel the sharp rise and fall of Jeremy's chest as he chuckled at the sight of their daughter.

"Come on, Sheels. You can do it." He encouraged and reached out to grab her tiny hand. Sheila smiled brightly at him before looking down so she could concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. When she got a few steps closer to them, she tripped one final time into her father's arm

Jeremy pulled her into his lap, and Bonnie sat up, laughing. When he started tickling the little girl, the sound of giggles surrounded them, and Bonnie took the moment to let happy warmth of the moment fill her smile.

Jeremy looked to his wife and noticed the serene expression on her face. "What?" He asked with a grin.

"Nothing." Bonnie placed a hand on Sheila's head and stroked back a few soft curls. "I just can't believe she's ours. I know that sounds weird." She shakes her head. From Jeremy's perspective, they've had her for just over a year. But to Bonnie, she has only known this life since this morning.

"No, no. I get it. It still amazes me too sometimes."

Bonnie moved her hand from her daughter's hair and raised it to Jeremy's face, so she could cup his cheek before bringing him down for a kiss. When their lips separated, their foreheads remained against each other and Bonnie let out a small sigh.

Instead of lingering in the romance, however, the two had been interrupted by a little boy suddenly colliding with Jeremy's back in some sort of ambush. "Hi, Uncle Jer!" The boy exclaimed with a rush of enthusiasm.

"Hey, Darius." He managed to breathe out as the boy squeezed his arms tightly around Jeremy's neck.

"Darius!" They heard the voice of a woman call out and Bonnie turned around to see who it was. Her eyes grew in astonishment, for she couldn't believe what she saw. "I would appreciate it very much if you didn't strangle your uncle to death."

About ten yards away was Elena kneeling in front of another boy, fixing the collar of his shirt, and Damon who was standing next to them with an amused look on his face.

So, apparently Bonnie wasn't the only one who ended up with a kid in this life and the sight of them completely threw her for a loop. She could always see this type of life with Jeremy for herself. But the image of Damon and Elena being so blissfully, domestically human, was definitely strange.

Darius listened to his mother and released his hold on Jeremy. He moved around them and plopped down on the grass. "Hi, Aunt Bonnie." He greeted as he pushed back his dark bangs from his forhead.

"Hey there." Bonnie focused her attention back on the boy in front of them. "How are you?"

"Great! I love Founders Day!"

"Says the kid who begged his parents to take him home after only an hour last year." Jeremy reminded.

"I had a stomach ache!"

"Because you let Damon sneak you that extra cotton candy when your mother wasn't looking."

"You talking shit about me?" Damon said as he, Elena, and their younger son approached.

"Damon!" Elena gave him a light smack on the shoulder. "Stop swearing around the kids!"

"Who the hell cares? It's just a word. Shawn, say 'shit'."

"Shit!"

Elena turned toward Damon and gave him a pressing stare. He responded with his usual smirk as he exercised his charm on her, but instead of letting herself be effected by it she turned back to the boy. "Don't listen to anything your father says."

Damon merely chuckled at the statement. "Alright, I am going to the concession stand so I can get myself some much-needed alcohol. You want anything?" He asked his wife.

"No, I'm good." She replied with a grumble, still a little ticked off.

He kissed her forehead, hoping to diminish a bit of her anger. "Remember, you love me."

"Not right now I don't." she responded, trying to remain resistant, but the smile that threatened to tug at her lips proved that her determination was crumbling.

Satisfied, Damon started walking off in the other direction, but not without shooting look at Bonnie that she recognized as a signal for her to follow him.

"I'm gonna go grab myself a lemonade." Bonnie made to get up, but Jeremy stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I can get it for you."

"No, you don't have to." She brightened with gratitude, but prevented him from passing Sheila to her lap. "I can get it. You stay and catch up with your sister."

"Alright." Jeremy eased back. "Do you mind getting me one too?"

"Sure. I'll be back soon."

* * *

"So, I am assuming that look you gave me was to indicate that you're you?" Bonnie asked as she reached Damon in the concession line.

"Yeah, we need to come up with a secret pass phrase or something. The last world I tried to talk to you in, our conversation did not go over well." He crossed his arms and relaxed a little, noticeably relieved that she was the same Bonnie he'd passed over with. "Any ideas yet on what the hell all of this is?"

They've had this conversation a hundred times. Every day they appeared in another world. Sometimes it was set in the future, sometimes they were thrown back in to the past. Sometimes it seemed identical to the world they remembered, sometimes it was incredibly different. Neither of them could possibly know if they were actually living these lives, or if it was all playing out in their heads and all of their unanswered questions were quickly driving them insane.

Bonnie paused for a moment, pursing her lips in thought. "No, but I still believe that my Grams did something."

"And in all of the dimensions we've been forced into, you haven't ever been in one where you could -I don't know- ask her?"

Bonnie crossed her arms and scoffed. "I don't have any more control over where we end up than you do, Damon. I will talk to her about it the first chance I get."

"Well, one thing's for certain is that I haven't found 'peace' because the last few places I've been to haven't been all that pleasant." His face grows dark and pained and that immediately strikes concern in Bonnie.

"What kinds of places?"

"Oh you know. Pending apocalypse, giant lizard thing taking over Tokyo, a world without bourbon. Nothing I couldn't handle, but still not my definition of 'peace'." He was deflecting as usual and it made her wonder what kind of horrors he had been put through. Sure, hers had a few that felt like a new level of hell, but most of the time she was lucky enough to enter worlds as nice as this one. Then again, she hasn't spent the last 150 years as a vampire, encountering God knows what.

"We'll find out what's going on. But in the meantime, maybe we should just enjoy today. It seems like we've stepped into a good one this time."

"I have no idea what this-Elena was thinking when she decided to have kids with me. I'm not exactly model father material. And what's with you reproducing with Jeremy Gilbert? There is a 50/50 chance that daughter of yours is gonna grow up to be a dumb ass."

"And there is going to be a 50/50 chance that your kids are going to grow up to be sadistic serial killers. And you have two, so…."

"Like I said, I don't know what Elena was thinking." He shrugged and was about to change the subject when something caught his eye. "Well, would you look at that? Looks like we're not the only idiots."

Bonnie faced the direction he's looking and saw the couple in question. "Is that Stefan and Caroline?" Nearing the spot where they left Jeremy, Elena, and the kids, was Stefan with his arm around a very pregnant Caroline.

"There must be something in the water." Damon snarks easily.

"It's called being happy, Damon. Maybe you should embrace it."

"I know what happiness is." He doesn't elaborate and Bonnie doesn't need him to. She knows exactly what he means, and right now no fake realities could stop him from wanting to go back to it. No matter how much easier this life might be, she couldn't help but feel the same way he did.

"I'm going to find us a way out of this." She stated as a fact, not a hope.

"If I have learned anything it's don't make promises you can't keep."

* * *

"Okay, you sure this is the place you want to stop?" Alaric questioned from the driver's seat, hand on the ignition, ready to turn off the car.

Elena twisted a strand of hair around her finger, an incessant habit she had kept up since they left. She looked out the window at the motel they were parked in front of and sighed. It wasn't anything to write home about, not that any motels were, but it was cheap and as long as it had a few beds and a shower it would do them just fine.

"Yes, this is good. Are you alright with it?" She turned to look at him and took note of the unsure expression on his face.

"I'm the type of guy who can live anywhere. But, wouldn't it be better to stay in the city? We might be a little less conspicuous with a larger population."

Elena flashed back to the time when she had a similar conversation with Damon; back when they were in New York and she had her emotions switched off after Jeremy's death. He claimed they were there to have a good time, even if she suspected he had an ulterior motive. Now she was the one with a secret agenda.

She shook her head and attempted to put that memory back in the 'do not touch' box stored away in her mind.

"Normally, yes, but I think that it's probably best that we stick to quieter towns for now. Less people, less energy, less temptation. It's just easier when you are still getting used to being a vampire." She reasoned.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

Elena turned her body so she could see Jeremy pretending to be asleep in the back seat. "What about you, Jer?" She asked, but Jeremy still wouldn't open his eyes. "Are you alright with this place?"

"Whatever." He mumbled, completely void of emotion. He finally sat up and opened the car before adding "It's not like we'll be here for very long anyway."

He was still annoyed with her, but how could he not be? On top of all the grief that persisted to overtake him, he had been draged them from one end of the country to another, making it seem like every travelling decision she made was spur of the moment. Neither Jeremy nor Alaric voiced any outright arguments of where they were headed, no matter how many times she asked, but she still felt guilty that she had taken complete control over everything. Maybe she should tell them what this was really about; what she was determined to accomplish, but she knew she couldn't. Not until she had something, _anything_ , to go off of and provide them with a little hope. For three long months Elena still had nothing.

Elena directed her focus back toward Alaric. "It's been a long day, so why don't you two check us in and get settled while I go find us something to eat?"

Alaric didn't answer right away, just stared at her with an inquisitive look, wondering what she was up to this time. He knew that something was going on, but Elena held her ground and refused to give him any indication that he was right. Eventually he simply nodded and handed her the car keys. "Okay, just call us if you run into any trouble."

"I will, but I am sure that I will just be in and out. You'll hardly know I'm gone."

* * *

It wasn't very late in the evening, the sun was still casting rays of gold light as it descended below the horizon line, but Shawn and Darius managed to tucker themselves out by that time and were sleeping heavily in the back seat of the car. Elena smiled lovingly at the sight.

"You take Darius, I'll take Shawn." She said tactfully, like this was a common occurrence.

Damon nodded and climbed out of the car before moving to the door of the back seat. When he unbuckled Darius' seatbelt, he laughed when he saw a red line printed on the child's face. He looked almost exactly like Damon when he was that age. Same eyes, same mouth, same unruly dark hair. The only thing he inherited from his mother was her tanned olive skin.

He hoisted the boy up into his arms and shut the door with his hip so he could follow Elena inside the house. She held the younger of their two sons close to her chest, his arms gripping her shoulders and his face nestled contently in the corner of her neck. When Elena unlocked the front door and led them into the entry way, she switched on the light to reveal their quiet home had remained untouched since they'd been gone.

When they got the kids to their bedroom, both were in charge of changing the boy they brought in into their pajamas. Shawn woke up a bit and tiredly helped Elena get his clothes off and on, but the moment he laid down in his bed, he was out again. Darius on the other hand, didn't stir once in his slumber as Damon attempted to change him. It concerned Damon for a moment, but once he saw the steady in and out of his breathing, his fears washed away.

After the kids were settled for the night and Elena gave them both a kiss, the two of them made their way to their own room to ready themselves for bed.

"Today was fun, wasn't it?" Elena said as she pulled a tank top over her head and brushed her hair to the side.

"Mmhmm." Was the only response Damon gave, his head facing down as he pretended to struggle with his shoes.

Elena went over and helped him untie the knots in the laces. Once they were off, she stood up straight and tried to meet his eyes, but when he continued to look elsewhere, she leaned up for a kiss. Damon hesitated for a moment, not wanting to give into this illusion of happiness. But as her lips persisted to receive a response, and he could taste the familiarity of his own Elena within her mouth, Damon couldn't help press in to it, just a little. When they parted, he could feel the desperate longing that remained in his body with every new dimension he was forced into tear at him 10 times more painfully.

"What's wrong?" Elena looked at him with her big brown eyes widening.

He finally looked at her and saw the concern that was brought out in the features of her face. Sighing, he knew that he had to say something. Even if she wasn't real, he knew that he couldn't lead her to believe that she had done anything wrong. It was all him.

"Everything here is just too easy." He started and backed away slightly. "What would you say if you heard there was another world out there? One that was difficult to survive and one horrible thing came after another, threatening to…" He paused, not exactly sure how to put it. "…demolish our existence?"

It was evident that this did not sooth her worries at all and only fueled them further. "Where is this coming from?"

"It's nothing." He brushed off. He couldn't expect her to understand what he was getting at. "You don't have to worry about it. I guess I'm just in a mood."

"Hey, look at me." She prompted when he looked back at the floor, but Elena immediately placed her hand on his chin and guided his attention back toward her. "We'd survive it."

_"We always survive."_

"Who ever said life was always easy for us? There are always things getting in the way, trying to take us out, but we get past them. In the end it's you and me and the life we've built. It's just who we are." She caressed his face tentatively, but his face still tensed.

"What if it wasn't you and me? What if something happened and it was just you? Would you be okay?"

"Damon, now you are really starting to scare me. Did something happen?"

"No, no." He put his hands on her shoulders and rubbed smalls circles into her skin with his thumbs in an effort to calm her. "This is all hypothetical. I just worry about what would happen to you." He needs to hear it coming from her mouth. Even though whatever experiences both versions of the girl he loves must have been incredibly different, he needs some bit of hope that the Elena back home will be alright, even if he never make it back to her.

"I don't like thinking about that. I mean, I would have to keep it together for the kids…. But…. Well… we're supposed to have forever right? I don't think I could ever let go of that." 


	2. Hear My Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Once again, Damon took the fall for him, only this time it cost him his life."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really Stefan and Damon centric chapter. I was going to include more scenes with other characters, but the flashback I included was a lot longer than I expected it would be. It was just a head canon I've had in my mind for a LONG time, so I didn't want to just breeze passed it. I hope you don't mind. The title of the chapter is taken from the song "Possibility" by Lykke Li.

_Mystic Falls, Virginia- 1853_

_Stefan walked cautiously into his father's study, a room he had been instructed never to enter without the older man's supervision. He didn't know what led him there exactly, maybe just simple curiosity of a young boy with nothing to do, but no matter the reason, he was aware that he could find himself in serious trouble for disobeying his father's orders. While even at six years old Stefan was always one to follow the rules, his interest of this room of secrets was enough to break his role as the honorable son, if only for a moment._

_Upon first sight, there was nothing out of the ordinary. He scanned the books on the shelves, none of the titles struck him as odd; at least none that he was actually able to read. The desk was neat as a pin. Parchment stacked in neat piles, a pair of fountain pens placed next to an ink well, a couple candles standing in a decorative holder, a photograph of their mother. They were all things that you would expect to find. Stefan was about to continue his search by rifling through the desk drawers when he noticed a glimmer in the corner of his eye._

_Lying next to the photograph of Miriam Salvatore was the beautiful silver pocket watch he always saw in his father's possession. It was weird seeing it abandoned like that._

_Stefan carefully picked it up by the chain and placed it in the open palm of his left hand. He studied the surface of the watch closely and recognized the Salvatore family crest engraved in the surface. With subtle marks of age, he could tell that it was probably pretty old, but still remained in good condition. When he popped the cover open he saw hands turn around steadily to point at the elegantly carved roman numerals that circled the face._

_As Stefan began to awe at the craftsmanship and revel in his admiration of such an object, he heard the sound of a man clearing his throat at the opposite end of the room._

_Surprised, Stefan let the watch fall from his hands, but luckily was quick enough to catch it by the chain before it hit the floor._

_"You know you are not allowed to be in here without my permission, Stefan." Giuseppe said, but with no real anger to his voice._

_Nevertheless, Stefan struggled to find the right words to explain his presence. "I-I… I am sorry, Father." He sputtered. "I couldn't help but be curious." He looked down at the floor in shame and his father only chuckled._

_"That's alright, son. Just don't let me catch you in here again." Giuseppe patted him on the head and Stefan looked up at him. "What is it you have in your hand?"_

_Once again, Stefan grew a little nervous, but still raised his hand to reveal the pocket watch he was holding. "I just wanted to look at it."_

_Giuseppe took the watch from his small hand and traced his thumb over the silver surface. "Do you know where I got this?" Stefan shook his head. "Your grandfather gave it to me when I was a little older than you, and his father gave it to him. It has been passed down for generations and means a great deal to the men in this family. To be the one to receive this heirloom is a great honor."_

_"Were you going to give it to Damon? He's the oldest." Stefan asked, a hint of envy laced in his voice._

_"No, I could not entrust something so important to your brother. He lacks the responsibility to take care of it. For some time now, I have been planning on giving it to you, Stefan."_

_"Really?" His eyes grew wide and starry, enchanted by the idea that the tradition would be carried on through him and with something that obviously meant a lot to his father._

_Giuseppe smiled and nodded. "Yes. I was going to wait a couple more years until I gave it to you, but now that you've found it, I suppose I can give it to you early." He returned the watch back to Stefan's hand and closed the boy's fingers around it. "But you must promise me that you will put it somewhere safe, and not wear it until I say that you are old enough. Do you understand?"_

_Stefan nodded enthusiastically "Yes, Father, I promise. Thank you!"_

_"You are very welcome, Stefan. Now why don't you put that in your room and have Elsa get you changed to play outside with your brother. I fear that boy will get into trouble if left alone too long."_

_When Stefan got outside, he still gripped the pocket watch firmly in his hand. He knew that his father instructed him to put it somewhere safe, but he just couldn't bring himself to part with it. The heirloom held a special power that he couldn't explain. There was no way he could hide it away, not to be touched for years._

_Stefan looked out across the yard for his brother, but he was nowhere in sight. It didn't take long, however, for Damon to startle him from behind._

_"What have you got there, Steffie?" Damon asked, using the nickname Stefan hated, as wrapped his arm around his neck and rubbed a closed fist hard against the top of his head._

_"Ahhh! Stop it, Damon! That hurts!" Stefan squirmed from Damon's grasp and jutted out his lip in an angry pout._

_"Don't be like that, Steffie. I was just playing."_

_"I told you I don't like it when you call me that. You make me sound like a baby."_

" _Well then stop acting like one." Damon couldn't help but chuckle at his little brother's expression, which was ridiculously child-like. He then returned his attention back on the object in Stefan's hand and took him by the wrist to see what it was. "Now, show me what you have there."_

" _No, it's mine. Give it back." Stefan struggled to keep it to himself, but that just made Damon more determined to figure out what he was hiding. Eventually he got hold of the object and froze when he recognized what it was._

" _What are you doing with father's pocket watch? You know that if he finds out you've taken it, you will be punished." He reminded, a little protectiveness laced with his voice._

" _He knows. He gave it to me." Stefan said cautiously, omitting the fact that he was supposed to put it away._

" _He gave it to you?" Damon was disappointed and Stefan can already feel the pang of guilt twist inside of him. It was the main reason he didn't want his elder brother to know. Damon had already expressed his fear of being the second favorite, if only in so many words, and no matter how many times Stefan would claim that it wasn't true, he wouldn't hear it._

_Damon stood there for a moment, eyes gazing longingly over the sentimental treasure that should have gone to him. But he didn't linger there for long. Quickly, his morose demeanor shifted and his mouth pulled into a smirk. He handed the watch back to Stefan and patted him on the shoulder._

" _Do you want to play Hide-and-Seek?"_

" _You're not upset with me?" He asked with surprise. This was the second time today that he hadn't gotten the reaction he'd expected._

" _Why would I be?" He responded, flippantly. "Come on. I'll hide first."_

_Damon ran to the back of the estate, Stefan following a few yards behind him, where they were greeted by an expanse of trees in the distance making up a lush forest. He hurriedly made his way toward the shaded area that left plenty of optimal hiding spots. When he reached the line of trees, he looked over his shoulder to make sure that Stefan was still following. "Steffie, hurry up!"_

_When he caught up to him, he leaned over and pressed his hands to his knees, already out of breath. "Just give me a moment." He managed to speak through his panting._

_Once Stefan was able stand up straight, Damon asked "Do you remember how to count to thirty?_

" _Of course I do!" Stefan exclaimed, sounding a bit more unsure then he'd intended._

_Damon shook his head disbelievingly. "Hand me the watch." He put out his hand, palm up, and Stefan was hesitant to comply. "I'll give it right back." He promised and, finally convinced, Stefan handed it over. When he popped it open, he pointed at the face and leaned over so his little brother could see. "When the second hand aims here, turn away. When it aims here, come find me. Do you understand?" He instructed and Stefan nodded his head. "Now… go!"_

_Stefan quickly turned around and listened to the sound of leaves crunching as Damon ran off in the opposite direction. He studied the second hand of the watch while it slowly turned around. It felt like it was taking forever to make it to the 30 second mark. When it finally reached the point he was waiting for, he excitedly spun around and ran off in pursuit of his brother. He was a little too excited, however, and wasn't watching where he was placing his feet. All of a sudden, his foot caught a tree root and he fell forward. Luckily he caught himself before his face planted on the ground._

_Once he returned to a standing position, Stefan brushed the leaves and dirt off of the knees of his trousers. He was about to shake it off and return to his search, but then something occurred to him. Stefan looked down at the watch that was still open in his hand and fear grew inside him when he noticed a large crack stretch across the glass surface._

_Tears filled his eyes, and soon they were trailing down his cheeks as he let out a sob. His precious keepsake was broken and any comments his father made implying his sense of responsibility had been proven false._

_He wasn't honorable or trustworthy. He was a clumsy child with an astounding lack of judgment. He knew what his father's temper was capable of; he'd seen in the form of black and blue bruises across Damon's skin. While Giuseppe never went as far as that with Stefan, he feared the pain he would undoubtedly have to endure once he found out what Stefan had done._

_When Damon heard his cries, he came out of hiding and rushed to Stefan's side. "What happened? Are you hurt?"_

_Stefan shook his head and said nothing. He simply held out the watch for Damon to see what he had done. When he took the watch from him, Stefan finally spoke. "I wasn't supposed to take it out of the house. Father told me I was to take it straight to my room. He will punish me for sure!"_

_Damon stared at him long and hard as he processed what'd just happened and apparently he was able to piece together what truly terrified the young boy. He took Stefan's hand and pulled him along, saying "Come on, I'll fix this"._

_He didn't know what Damon could possibly do, or where he was taking him, but he allowed his brother to guide him through the forest. While it hadn't alleviated his fear much at the same time he trusted that his brother had every intention to help him out of this mess. Damon remained silent, and once again, it was hard for Stefan to match his pace. They kept walking, for so long it seemed to go on forever, but eventually they reached a clearing and they were greeted by the sight of Steven's Quarry._

_When they reached the edge Damon let go of his hand and, without a second thought, hurled the ruined pocket watch into the deep water._

" _Damon!" Stefan exclaimed in horror. "Why did you do that!?"_

" _Now he won't find it. Just tell him that you put it away like he told you."_

" _He'll know! He'll know!" He was sobbing uncontrollably now, pushing Damon away when he attempted to step closer to him. "I thought you said you were going to fix it? But you only made things worse!"_

" _Listen here, Stefan." He prompted, calmly. He leaned down to meet Stefan's eye level. "If it concerns you so much, I'll get it back for you. Just go home and don't tell father what happened today. I'll take care of everything."_

" _But I can't walk through the forest by myself." His crying tamed a bit, but tears still continued to trail down his face and his nose began to run._

" _You don't want to be considered a baby anymore, right?" He asked and Stefan nodded. "Then go that way until you reach the house." He pointed in the direction they came from. "Just go on without me."_

* * *

_Present day_

Damon never did find it. The sun had already set by the time he arrived back to the house and he was noticeably tired and sopping wet. The moment the front door opened and closed Giuseppe confronted him, demanding to know why he was home so late. Damon replied in a way Stefan had never expected. He told their father that he was jealous that he gave Stefan the pocket watch, so he took it from his room and threw it into the quarry.

Things changed after that. As hard on Damon as he was before, after that Giuseppe hadn't trusted him with anything again. Nothing that Damon did over the years could change his opinion of him and no matter how many times Stefan would speak up for his brother, it never did any good. In their father's eyes, Damon was a disappointment and always would be.

Stefan turned over the long lost object in his hand. Over a century and a half of lying at the bottom of Steven's quarry, there were scratches and severe aging that stained the once beautiful surface. When he opened the cover he saw that a bit of murky water had gotten in through the crack in the glass, clouding the face. The steadily constant motion of the hands ticking around in and endless circle had ceased; the magic it once held extinguished.

It was found a few weeks before the collapse of the other side. A fisherman had turned it in to the historical society, probably due to the mark of one of the founding family members still etched in the silver, not knowing that its owner was still around 158 years later. When Liz Forbes had obtained it, she kindly brought it to the boarding house to see if either Stefan or Damon had recognized it. Luckily, Damon wasn't there, and Stefan never told him that it was found in fear that it would bring back too many difficult memories for him.

When Enzo died, Stefan started carrying it around with him at all times,reminding him of the relationship he used to have with his brother. Despite the undeniable feeling that Damon would wind up hating him for what he had done to his best friend, the silver piece left him with the bit of hope that some things would never change. If Damon did write him off, somewhere down the line they could rebuild their relationship the same way they did over the last couple of years. No matter what, they were still brothers, and that would always mean something.

Now however, his symbol of hope became an objectified version of his guilt. Once again, Damon took the fall for him, only this time it cost him his life. Stefan was dead, and maybe he should have stayed that way. He could remember the feeling of his heart being ripped from his chest as if it had only happened moments ago. He could feel the air escaping his body except it was different from when he spent three months drowning in a safe. There was no holding on because his whole body knew that that was it. There was no coming back from it. But he did come back.

Because of Damon.

Damon was dead, and Stefan got the second chance at life he shouldn't have had.

* * *

"I want you to search your memory." Elena instructed the young female cashier of a nearby gas station. "Are you sure you haven't seen either of them?" She slid the two pictures she'd placed on the counter closer to her so she could take a better look.

The cashier, Anne, looked carefully at the pictures, one of a man and the other a woman, but she showed absolutely zero sign of recognition.

Anne shook her head. "I'm sorry, I haven't." She tried to hand back the pictures, but Elena wouldn't accept them.

"Please, keep them." She flipped over one of the pictures, grabbed a pen that was on the counter, and scribbled a number on the back. "Call me if, and only if, you see either of them. Don't tell anyone you talked with me today." Elena leaned in closer until she was convinced that her compulsion had worked.

"I will call you if, and only if, I see either of them. I won't tell anyone I talked with you today." The girl mirrored and Elena took a step back.

"Thank you. Have a nice day."

Elena turned on her heels and walked quickly out of the store, her frustration threatening to bubble over into anger. With the limited amount of time she had to go around asking questions without striking any further suspicions from Alaric, this was the last place she was able to stop for the day. Yet again she was left with no information that was useful. But she wasn't going to let this hundredth disappointment deter her from her objective.

They were out there somewhere and she was going to find them. Whatever it took.

* * *

Stefan stared at the words written the screen and he gripped the edges of the phone in the palm of his hand, while still being careful not to destroy his one connection to the outside world.

"Huh. Well that sucks." He heard a familiar voice coming from behind him, and he didn't need to turn around to know exactly who it was.

Stefan turned off his phone and tossed it onto his desk.

"Not now, Damon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And that's where I'll leave you for now. Sorry. I know you are probably just like "What in the world is going on?", but you aren't supposed to understand what's going on with Stefan until the next chapter.
> 
> I hope you don't think that I am making light of Elena's pain, because that's not what I am doing at all. There is a BIG chapter for her in the future. Most characters will something substantial to express their pain.
> 
> Thanks again for reading!


	3. Undead Audio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline feels alone, Stefan needs help, and Bonnie finally has her chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry that it took over 2 weeks for this update, but in all the stress that comes with moving, it was getting hard to write. BUT I did finally finish, and I hope you think this chapter is up to par. It was very difficult to write.
> 
> This chapter title is taken from the song "Brother" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I HIGHLY recommend looking that song up. It's wonderful and is actually a really fitting song for Damon and Stefan.
> 
> Thanks again to florencia7 (on FF.net and Lj)! Love you lots! If you haven't read her fic "If and Only If", I suggest putting this story down for moment and go read that. It's beautiful!

* * *

Caroline Forbes has never been truly alone before. Sure, she might have felt that way at times, like no one was willing to put the same amount of effort into a relationship with her the same way she did for them. She was speaking from her deepest insecurities when she said she felt like the back-up in everyone's lives. Back-up friend, back-up girlfriend. Things like work and other, more important people, always came first in list of priorities. It made her feel unloved and not wanted, but now… now was a different story.

Now she really was alone.

She looked around at the nearly empty dorm; the only evidence that suggested someone lived there was all contained in one corner of the room. Housing tried to pressure her into getting new roommates now that it looked like Elena and Bonnie weren't coming back, but she wouldn't allow it. No one could fill the spot of her best friends, even if she had to compel someone to get her way.

Maybe she was also holding out for them to come back. It wasn't their feelings for her, but constant torment of their daily lives that tore them away from her. Caroline had no control over it, no way to bring them back, but she still had hope that life would take them by surprise and everything would go back to the way it used to be; the way it was supposed to be. Maybe a miracle would happen, and what seemed impossible could be proven wrong once again.

Of course, as much as it killed her, this was one of the things that were completely out of her control.

Caroline mindlessly wandered over to one of the beds, one that was bare of any sheets or blankets, and slumped down onto the mattress, succumbing to theweight of silence that pressed down on her.

It didn't smell like Bonnie anymore. Even with her heightened senses, there was no trace of her scent that lingered and Caroline could feel the proof of Bonnie's existence slowly fade away.

Caroline wrapped her arms around her middle and started to cry.

Growing up, she realized now more than ever, she spent entirely too much time not fully appreciating the friendship Bonnie offered her. She would get jealous about stupid things, pick fights, and made ridiculous accusations that she was a terrible friend. Yet, whenever Caroline would eventually come to her senses and stop being so hostile, Bonnie was always there; always willing to forgive her. Caroline let her insecurities get in the way of her best friend, and now her constant presence was no longer there.

Her red eyes stung as tears continued to pour out of them, and she closed them tightly, willing the pain to go away. They say the time heals all wounds, but with each day she felt herself getting further and further from being okay.

* * *

When Bonnie woke up, she was greeted with the sight of a foot an inch or two from her face. She looked across the couch and there was Caroline's head poking out from the covers at the other end. Bonnie tried to wiggle her way out without waking up her friend, but the moment she started to move, Caroline jerked awake and accidentally kicked Bonnie hard in the nose.

"Ow! Caroline!" Bonnie managed to yell through the throbbing pain. When she shoved her foot away, she did it with a little too much force, sending Caroline toppling over the side of the couch where she landed on the girl laying on the floor next to them. "Sorry!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Elena let out a tired groan as Caroline got off of her.

Bonnie looked at her two friends on the ground. Both were younger than she remembered, maybe 8 or 9. Judging by the state of her living room, empty cups and candy wrappers littering the coffee table, and the popcorn that scattered across the floor, she knew that this must be the morning after one of their "epic" sleepovers, as Caroline liked to put it.

"We should probably clean up before your father wakes up, huh?" Caroline grumbled.

"That would be a good idea." Bonnie agreed.

Caroline leaned over Elena and tried to shake her awake. "Come on, Elena. You need to get your butt up and help us."

"Noooooooo…." Elena took a pillow and crushed it over her head, blocking out the sound. "Sleep." She moaned, but Caroline simply yanked the pillow off her head despite her annoyed protests. "Fine. I'm up."

Each of them took a job. Caroline picked up the floor, Elena cleared the coffee table of the wrappers and brought the dishes to the kitchen, and Bonnie took care of the blankets and pillows by folding them up and carrying them back to her bedroom.

Walking into her old bedroom was like walking into a time capsule. Every object she came across was something that she thought she had forgotten long ago, but each brought on another wave of nostalgia that made her smile. Memories flashed through her mind as she picked up an old notebook from her second grade class and leafed through, snickering at the little doodles in the margins. She threw it down next to the pile of blankets she left on the bed.

Next she moved over to her dresser and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror above it. Yep, she definitely hadn't reached puberty in this world yet. Before she turned away she took notice of a picture frame that still stood in her room 11 years later. It was a picture of Bonnie and her Grams. They were standing by a tree at her grandmother's house with Bonnie in front of her and the older woman's arms woven around her. The bright sun above them couldn't compare to the warmth in their smiles.

Bonnie stared closely at the image and remembered the last words her grams said to her.

" _You're not the only member of this family who knows how to make a sacrifice."_

" _What does that mean?"_

" _It means I'm going to be fine. I found peace because I made sure you'd find yours."_

" _I don't understand."_

" _Not your concern. Just know I looked out for you. I love you Bonnie. You stay strong."_

With those words replaying in her head for the millionth time since they were brought out of the other side, Bonnie was only further convinced that this was her grams' doing. Looking over the way she protectively held her in the picture, there was no question that she would do everything in her power to make sure that she would be safe.

Now was the time. She was finally in a world where her grams was there to provide the answers to what was going on with her and Damon.

* * *

_No sign of them yet. Still looking. Will text when I find them._

Stefan read the text over and over again, each time his hope diminishing little by little and the persistent voice in his head growing louder and louder.

"Seven bottles of beer on the wall, seven bottles of beer." The voice sang from the corner of the motel room, getting on his last nerve. "Take one down, pass it around. Six bottles of beer on the wall."

Damon had been going on like that for the past couple of hours, and for a while Stefan was able to block it out, but now it was becoming more than he could take. "Could you stop that?" Stefan barked.

"Just let me finish this six-pack. Six bottles of beer on the beer on the wall…"

Stefan finally clicked off his cellphone and stuffed in his pocket. "I'm done, so you can go away now."

"You don't want me hangin' around here, so that's exactly why am." With his legs draped over one arm of the chair he lounged back against the other, his hands clasped together behind his head. "Isn't that the way it goes, Stef? Who would I be if I didn't continue to haunt your eternal existence? Certainly not the infuriating older brother you spent decades trying to avoid."

"That's the thing." He turned around to face the image of his brother. "You're not him. My brother is dead and you are just a figment of my imagination."

"Poor psychotic Stefan." Damon mocked, protruding his lower lip in a pout.

"Stop it." He said with as much restraint as he could manage, trying to hide any sign that Damon was getting to him.

"I wonder if there's a mental institution nearby."

"I said stop it."

"I can make a few calls. See if they take centuries old vampires who have a tendency to rip people limb from-" Before he could get out the last word, Stefan let his sudden anger get the better of him and threw an empty glass in his direction, but all he hit was air.

He disappeared and the room went silent again.

Stefan's eyes were fixed on the spot where imaginary Damon had been sitting, and he couldn't help but notice the empty feeling that rose in his chest. Yes, he didn't want to have the memory of his dead brother invading his life, but at the same time it was all he had, and as unhealthy as it was, he felt lost without it. He was falling deeper, deeper, deeper into the darkness and he couldn't pull himself out of it.

His resilience was crumbling in the silence. He needed to make some noise.

* * *

Later in the evening, Caroline had managed to pry herself out of bed and walk over to the window sill where she had left her cellphone. It was that time of the night where she would make her daily round of phone calls to her friends in hopes that she would get a response, _any_ response. Normally even she would admit that calling everyday was a little excessive, but the fact that she rarely heard a peep from them left her unsettled.

Every once in a while she would get through to Elena, but she was always so glib about her whereabouts. She would say things like "I am just trying to keep busy" and the more Caroline pried her for more information, the less willing she was to give it.

She talked to Tyler a lot in the beginning. Caroline could tell that he was growing more and more frustrated withhis recent human status, and she suggested numerous times that maybe he should come to school. He would pass over the idea, saying that he needed to stay in a magic-free world for a while as he tried to adjust. Caroline could understand that and she wanted to help him through it in any way she could, but as time went on they were back to only exchanging voicemails and she couldn't help but feel like maybe he was starting to get annoyed with her.

And then there was Stefan. It was his radio silence that tore her up the most. No matter how many times she called, how many 5 minute long voicemails she left, or how many lengthy texts she sent, Caroline hadn't received a single word from him. Not knowing where he was, what he was doing, or how he was coping was driving her insane. Stefan was cutting her off and each day that passed without hearing from him made her feel more like she had lost him too. It was unbearable.

Caroline unlocked her cellphone to find that she hadn't missed any calls, as usual. There was, however, a notice saying that she had one text message waiting for her. It was from Matt.

_Checking in on your mom today_

Caroline let out an easy breath through her nose and a small smile stretched her lips. Thankfully, Matt was still keeping her updated. When Caroline was deciding whether or not to go back to school it was him who convinced her that it might be for the best. With guilt over not being able to enter Mystic Falls and help her mother through her recovery, she was hesitant to distance herself further from the small town. Matt was the one to tell her that being closer wouldn't change anything and that her mom wouldn't want her to take the time off, even if Caroline _could_ be there. He assured her that he would take care of things back home and make sure she knew everything that was going on at home.

He kept his promise. He let Caroline know whenever there was a change in Liz's condition, he drove her to her physical therapy, some nights he even helped out around the house and made sure she had everything she needed. Matt was really going above and beyond what Caroline had expected. She was so grateful, she almost shed tears at the thought.

Wanting to know more about how her mother was doing today, Caroline eagerly called Matt's number.

"Hey, Matt. It's Caroline." She said, relieved that he had answered.

"I figured that when it was your name that showed up on my cell."

"Right, of course." She pressed the palm of her hand along her face and shook her head. "Anyway, I was wondering how things were going?"

"I actually just got back from your mom's."

"Really? How is she?"

"Getting a little annoyed with me hovering over her all the time. She insists she's fine, but I know how you wanted me to check in on her since you can't."

Caroline's smile grew wider and she took a moment to consider his generosity throughout the last few months. Out of all the horrible things that were happening to the people she loved, at least she knew that one of them was being taken care of. "Thank you Matt, for everything."

"It's the least I can do. Since I'm not much help with all the supernatural stuff, I can at least still make sure that your mom doesn't have to get through her recovery alone."

He always did this. He would downplay his contribution to the group based on the fact that he was human, but really he had no idea how valuable he was to all of them. No matter how hard he tried to keep himself away from it all, when they needed him, he was always there to lend any hand he could. No matter how much safer he was and how relieved he would be to not have to be mixed up in there life-and-death situations, it must be weird for him now that all of his friends, save for Tyler, were suddenly out of his life and without any knowledge of when they would be able to return, if ever. She could see how making a connection with her mother and -doing the most human thing he could do- help her through her difficult time could be good for him. It made him feel needed.

She was happy that he was able to find that, but she felt a little envious. She wanted to feel needed too.

"I wish I could be there for her. I wish I could help."

"She knows that and she understands. Don't be too hard on yourself, Care."

"I know, I know. I am just so used to being able to do something, and now that I can't…"

"I get it. Really, I do. But don't worry because we'll figure something out and you'll be here with your overly-positive attitude, getting your mom to her doctor appointments, cooking extravagant meals, and making sure she does her physical therapy. You know, bugging the crap out of her the same way I've been doing."

Caroline chuckled at that.

"Thanks again. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"You're welcome. I'll keep in touch."

When they hung up, Caroline stared at her phone, not yet willing to give up her connection to the outside world. She longed for it to ring again, to get some sort of sign that her other friends were okay. Instead there was nothing, so she clicked the screen off, placed it back on the window sill, and desperately searched for something to distract her fearful mind.

* * *

Stefan could feel his fangs tear further and further into the young girl's neck as he steadily drained the warm blood from her body. Her screams did nothing to subside his gluttonous hunger and make him realize the terror he was inflicting. Instead it awakened the demon inside him that demanded more with each gulp he took.

"Hey there, Stef. Easy." The voice was back again, just as he knew it would be. But it wasn't as taunting or needling as it was before. Now it was calm and filled with concern. Stefan detached his mouth from the girl's neck, still holding onto her shoulders to keep her from running, and looked at his brother's pained expression through the darkness of the alleyway.

This is how it was. When Stefan was alone, the Damon that showed up was always trying to rattle him and break him out of any kind of peace he'd managed to obtain. He would push him to get mad, to fight back, and eventually Stefan would wind up losing his control. Then there was the other Damon. The one that told him to take a step back and think more logically; the one that could see him teetering over the edge and was there to stop him from falling off of it. It was like the common tale of having an angel and devil on each shoulder, but instead of it being versions of his own conscience, it was versions of his dead brother.

Stefan growled as the black veins bulged from his face and the fierce hunger decided to win over his restraint. When Stefan moved to bite down into her neck Damon's voice stopped him once again. "Damn it, Stefan. Do you really think I died so you could go back to chewing off peoples' heads?"

He'd said it numerous times over the last few months and it got through to him, just as it always did.

Stefan looked at the girl's face. Her crying was weakening as her body began to give out, and there was a distinct lack of color in her face but –luckily—she was still conscious. Damon got through to him just in time.

Stefan bit down into his own wrist and let a few drops of blood enter the girl's mouth. Next, he held her by the face and stared into her green eyes that were bloodshot and filled with tears.

"I want you to forget what happened here. All you need to know is that you have to get away from me as quickly and as far as possible. Do you understand me?"

She nodded, and the moment he let go of her, she ran around the corner and out of sight. Guilt ridden, yet at the same time relieved, Stefan pressed his back against the brick wall and sunk to the ground.

"You know that if you don't get it together soon, one day that little humanity switch is gonna get way too tempting and you'll flip it off. You know that there will be no coming back from it this time."

Damon spoke the truth. His mind drifted back to what Damon said about the hope of returning to his brother being the only thing keeping him from turning off his humanity as he was being tortured by the Augustines. But Stefan's own hope of seeing his brother again was fading, his sanity was gone, and the desire to give in to his vampire nature was all too powerful. He didn't even have Lexi to whip him back into shape and focus his reason for living elsewhere.

He needed a tether. He needed something, or someone, to keep him grounded because he couldn't do it by himself anymore.

He pulled the phone from his pocket and hit #1 on his speed dial. She answered after the first ring.

"Oh my god, Stefan? Are you really calling me?" She started desperately from the moment she picked up.

He was silent for a moment, debating whether or not that this was a good idea but, as much as he didn't want to bring her into this and have her see what he had become, just hearing her voice stirred a deeper longing in him that he tried to repress from the moment he left her. He knew now, she was what he needed to pull him back.

"I need you. Can you come meet me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Alright, there is chapter 3! I can't promise when the next chapter will come. I might be without internet for a while, so without the added distraction it might force me to write more. We shall see!
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this update. Thanks! If you could leave a review, it would be very much appreciated! :)
> 
> For updates on my writing process, you should follow me on tumblr. toolezbionic.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Okay, so I am not 100% happy with how this chapter turned out, but this is the first time I was able to sit down and actually write out one of my TVD fanfic ideas that wasn't a prompt. I actually like the story line I've mapped out and hopefully the chapters will get better as the story pics up. And after some encouragement from my lovely Beta, I've realized that this might all me in my head. Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this and please review.
> 
> ~Andrea


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